DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-55,546

GEORGIA PACIFIC WEST CORPORATION
A SUBSIDIARY OF GEORGIA PACIFIC CORPORATION
BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON

Negative Determination Regarding Eligibility to Apply for
Worker Adjustment Assistance and
Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended (19 USC 2273), the Department of Labor herein presents the
results of an investigation regarding certification of eligibility
to apply for worker adjustment assistance. The group eligibility
requirements for directly-impacted (primary) workers under Section
222(a) the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, can be satisfied in
either of two ways:
I. Section (a)(2)(A) all of the following must be satisfied:
A. a significant number or proportion of the workers in such
workers' firm, or an appropriate subdivision of the firm,
have become totally or partially separated, or are
threatened to become totally or partially separated;
B. the sales or production, or both, of such firm or
subdivision have decreased absolutely; and
C. increased imports of articles like or directly competitive
with articles produced by such firm or subdivision have
contributed importantly to such workers' separation or
threat of separation and to the decline in sales or
production of such firm or subdivision; or

II. Section (a)(2)(B) both of the following must be satisfied:
A. a significant number or proportion of the workers in such
workers' firm, or an appropriate subdivision of the
firm, have become totally or partially separated, or are
threatened to become totally or partially separated;
B. there has been a shift in production by such workers' firm
or subdivision to a foreign country of articles like or
directly competitive with articles which are produced by
such firm or subdivision; and
C. One of the following must be satisfied:
1. the country to which the workers' firm has shifted
production of the articles is a party to a free trade
agreement with the United States;
2. the country to which the workers' firm has shifted
production of the articles is a beneficiary country
under the Andean Trade Preference Act, African Growth
and Opportunity Act, or the Caribbean Basin Economic
Recovery Act; or
3. there has been or is likely to be an increase in
imports of articles that are like or directly
competitive with articles which are or were produced
by such firm or subdivision.

The investigation was initiated on September 2, 2004 in
response to a petition filed by the Association of Western Pulp and
Paper Workers on behalf of workers at Georgia Pacific West
Corporation, a subsidiary of Georgia Pacific Corporation,
Bellingham, Washington. The workers produce bath tissue and paper
towels.
The investigation revealed that criteria (a)(2)(A)(I.C) and
(a)(2)(B)(II.B) were not met.
The subject firm did not import bath tissue or paper towels
during 2002, 2003 or January through August 2004, nor did it shift
production abroad in these periods.
The Department of Labor surveyed the subject firm's major
customers in regards to their purchases of bath tissue and paper
towels in 2002, 2004, and January through August 2004. The survey
revealed no significant increase in imports of any customer
reducing purchases from the subject firm.
United States aggregate imports of toilet, facial tissue,
towel or napkin stock, and paper for household/sanitary purposes,
in rolls or sheets of specific measure, declined in 2003 compared
with 2002 and also declined in January through July 2004 compared
with the same period of 2003.
The investigation further revealed that corporate-wide
production of the subject firm increased in 2002/ 2003 and in
January through August, 2003/2004. The predominant cause of
separations at the Bellingham facility is the transfer of
production to other domestic facilities.
In addition, in accordance with Section 246 the Trade Act of
1974 (26 USC 2813), as amended, the Department of Labor herein
presents the results of its investigation regarding certification
of eligibility to apply for alternative trade adjustment assistance
(ATAA) for older workers.
In order for the Department to issue a certification of
eligibility to apply for ATAA, the worker group must be certified
eligible to apply for trade adjustment assistance (TAA). Since the
workers are denied eligibility to apply for TAA, the workers cannot
be certified eligible for ATAA.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in this
investigation, I determine that workers of Georgia Pacific West
Corporation, a subsidiary of Georgia Pacific Corporation,
Bellingham, Washington are denied eligibility to apply for adjust-
ment assistance under Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, and are
also denied eligibility for alternative trade adjustment assistance
under Section 246 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Signed in Washington, D.C., this 12th day of October 2004.

/s/ Richard Church
_______________________________
RICHARD CHURCH
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance